The Bonehead Truck Build

[Bonehead]

I know some of you guys have seen this build before. My plan is to show more pictures and explain more of what I did, and why I did it.

I had been going to car shows all my life and in the Spring of 2004 I was at the Moab, Utah car show, and ran into some rats, I fell in love with the idea of a car put together really well, but not really finished. These Rats belonged to some guys from Delta, Colorado. They were kind of a rough looking crowd, but they had some really cool cars. Well built, overpowered, and un-finished.

I started looking for a suitable old truck cab to start my new project. At the time I was finishing a tube frame rock buggy, and could not start a project anyway. I found a truck for $100 bucks. A 1939 Chevy pickup. Another guy had bought several old cars out of the woods, behind a guys house. He wanted one of them, bought them all and sold them off to get not only a free project for himself, but some $ in his pocket too. He loaned me some tires and wheels to get it on my trailer, and I was off. Below is the truck in the field, on the trailer, as it would have looked new, also one of the inspirations.

[Bonehead]

Having just built the Rock buggy, which as you can see is almost a jeep "T" bucket cross, I jumped in on the Hot rod project. I made up a rough design as to what I wanted. I didn't go out at that point to see how anybody else was doing it. I wanted something original. I drew from all the cool parts and pieces of all the hotrods I had seen growing up. I rolled that all into one design, in my head. I remember a 33 Ford show truck I had seen in about 1975, at the Starbird show. It was low, chopped, overpowered, and had a short-short bed. It was all chromed out, with metalflake purple high gloss paint. In High school, all the hotrod SS's and Bad Plymouths had shackles and wide skinny combos. I have always like the looks of a good T as well. At the track I liked the full cages and tube frames of the drag cars. Engines were being set back in the funny cars.

[Bonehead]

A few years before all this, I had bought a 1961 Ford pickup. It was in the paper for $500 bucks, and I think I paid $450. The truck was slighly wrecked, with a bent rear axle. But the motor ran really good. I used the transfer case and front axle in another project, and gave away the front fenders to guy who was building a ford. The engine was a Ford Y block and was perfect for my new project. Later I would use the steering and many other parts from this donor truck.

[Bonehead]

It was not until Jan. of 2006 that I was able to get started on the project. My son and I pulled the cab off of the 39 frame, and put it on a pallet. That way I could use the forklift to move it around. The chop was the first thing we did.

You guys can jump in and comment, it won't hurt the thread. Ask questions or whatever. Did you notice how my computer generated blue print and those of Maddogs are of about the same quality.

[Tripper]

Bonehead,
I'd love to see this & will follow very closely!

BoB

[motomech]

them y blocks have crazy exhaust systems id like to see them used some day in a rod

[Bonehead]

There was a car show comming up the first week of April that I wanted to try to make. That gave me 3 months of nights and weekends to build the truck.
SO, off with it's head.

This was a quick build, and I cut some corners to make it happen. But I was not building a show truck here. I used minimal bracing inside, and it worked out okay for me. A sawzall, and a portaband made quick work of the chop.
You can see how I made the rear window come out even, by stepping the chop. This is because the flatter part of the truck was not the center of the window. You can also see how much i would have to add to the roof to make the front posts line up. Another thing you can see, is the quality helper I had for this build.

[luckyfasteddie]

Thanks Jeff. looking forward to whats coming . How much did you chop your top. Is your new mail slot rear window useable , in other words can you see out of it ok thru your rear view mirror? How much did you take out of the original window what does it measure now.How far up is the bottom of the window from the ridge in the back of the cab getting ready to mail slot mine this wnter and want it to be in the right location LFE Your helper looks to be around my Grandsons age.Dont get any better than that my friend. My 7 year old Greatgrandson is almost ready for some garage time.He has to grasp the concept "what happens in mexico stays in Mexico" if you get my drift.

[FlatBroke]

I'm reading this one like a book.
Seems like I remember reading this build thread on KB as one of the main reasons I signed up over there.

Keep posting it Bone, I will read it all again.

For the record, it is still as bad@$$ truck...

[sakustoms]

looks like an interesting story. I will def. keep up with this one. I may need some of this info one day.